Ridgeline Power Plant project near Davis and Thomas.
By: Lydia Crawley
The Parsons Advocate
Local residents Mike Goss and Shaena Crossland asked the Tucker County Commission July 9th regarding the proposed power plant between Davis and Thomas. Their comments came as part of the Commission’s regular morning meeting.
Both Goss and Crossland asked the Commission to bring zoning into the project. They said that there was a need to place zoning in the County to stop the project and any future Al projects, data centers or micro grids.
“I think now is the time for you guys to… bring zoning into where we don’t want the AI centers, the data centers and the micro grids,” Goss said.
One of the main arguments for zoning, according to Crossland stems from statements made at the recent community meeting with representatives from the Air Quality Division of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection who are overseeing Fundamental Data’s Air Quality Permit on the project.
Representatives at the meeting had stated that since Fundamental Data had not expressly stated who the end user for the energy produced would be, HB 2014 did not apply to the project and had no affect on how they would approach the project. However, even if data centers were the end users, the representatives also said it would generally have little affect on air quality emissions.
“One of the major things that I took away from the meeting was that Mr. Kessler and Mr. Williams stating that at the current time that HB 2014 really has no bearing on this proposed plan,” Crossland said.
Crossland said that the fact that HB 2014 does not apply gives the County to opportunity to implement zoning to protect the health and safety of the residents of the County. Crossland complimented and thanked the County for its work on the County’s Comprehensive Plan. Crossland said she is still reviewing the document, but found it contains a lot of useful and interesting information,
“I think we should take advantage of this small window of opportunity we have here according to what the DEP said and I urge you guys to move into setting some standards of proper zoning and reasonable and ethical industry practices that will support this plan,” Crossland said.
Crossland also spoke on the need for the community to come together. Crossland said there is a mindset that those that move here are not “locals.” Crossland urged the Commission to talk to those they encounter in the community to combat the issue.
“If you are hearing this kind of stuff, I want to first of all, say thank you,” Crossland said. “I do have faith that you, like me, are encouraging the importance of being a good neighbor and of working together.”
Crossland said that she felt that many newer residents in the area’s voices are not being taken as seriously as others are.
“You live here, you pay taxes here, you vote here, you’re voice should hold as much weight regardless as to whether you’ve lived here three years or three generations,” Crossland said.
Crossland said that both sides of the issue have come to agreement on the issues of jobs and the welfare of the children of the area. She said that they also needed to come together on the fact that the issue is not necessarily a left vs right issue.
“So far people on both sides have agreed on at least two things: we need jobs and we want what’s best for our kids,” Crossland said.
